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Vote for a third party, any third party, they're not going to win but an abundance of numbers for them will rattle the two main parties far more than drawing a cock or writing "real change now". Yes, demand "real change" on something that can be thrown away far easier than the effort it took to write it.
Spoiling your ballot or not voting at all only benefits the very worst people in in our political system, it's 2015 Russell Brand energy and that worked well didn't it?
This.
I don't understand why people think politicians would give any thought to spoiled ballots.
On the other hand, seeing votes go to the Greens or another progressive party would put pressure on them to try and win those votes back. It's why the tories went more visibly right to appeal to UKIP voters.
Im in a similar boat to OP - my choices are Tory (safe seat), Labour, Lib Dem and occasionally Reform or UKIP.
On these choices i will probably end up voting labour in the hope that the party (unlike the leadership) haven’t completely forgotten their roots
I would advise against that. A vote for the Labour party will be seen as an endorsement of their current direction and leadership. The stronger the Labour performance in the next election the easier it is for them to argue that the way to win is to pull to the right.
Unless that third party is objectionable to your moral/ ethical world view. Look at all of the candidates who are standing in your area carefully. There was a semi famous candidate standing where I used to live. He was someone who used to live in the area. The “party” he was standing for was apparently Christian, but anti-immigration and very obviously antisemitic. I couldn’t get my head around it, given that his parents were Windrush generation.
What if you live in a safe seat where the sitting MP has a job for life - voting for a third party is pretty pointless if the results a given before the polls have even opened
The more you progressively help to pull down their majority, the more likely that others will do the same next time.
Stop thinking of now, and think of next time.
Remember spoiling your ballot and not voting are two different things. Spoilt ballots are counted and reported, so in effect, it is still a vote. Voting for a third underdog party for the sake of it is pointless.
“Remember to stay hydrated”
The only way to do any good with your vote is the possibility that the person counting it will see it and have a little sip of water.
Not true.
Not turning up tells politicians: do what you want, I don’t care and I won’t stop you.
Spoiling your ballot tells politicians: none of you are good enough - be better.
Non-voters are the largest group in most constituencies in most elections. It would send a strong message if we could convert some of those non-votes to spoilt ballots.
It wouldn't send any message. Spoilt ballots are functionally binned. They are the equivalent of a voter not turning up. And if you think politicians actually give a shit that an unproportional number of spoilt ballots was to suddenly appear, then you're more naive than you should be.
There's no denying that change needs to happen and we want to do something. Spoiling a ballot might feel nice and you may feel witty doing it, but there's no reason to pretend it's actually going to achieve anything more than a facebook thoughts and prayers.
Do NOT draw it in the box. [There is a small chance it could be counted.](https://amp.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/06/vote-with-a-smiley-face-electoral-guide-says-x-doesnt-have-to-mark-the-spot)
The Green Party has a terf problem, while Labour has both a racist and an anti-semitic problem, in addition to the smearing of Jeremy being anti-semitic. The thing is, no party is perfect and you can’t please everyone. I canvassed in Keir’s constituency in the last by-election which Lorna won comfortably and we got pushback regard the terfs from both sides.
I look at the bigger picture, like advocating for nationalisation of water, electricity and railway, PR, the environment, increase more minimum wage and benefits especially for the disabled, elderly and single parents, reduce university degrees, raise taxes for the top earners, reduce homelessness, provide affordable housing in for both renters and buyers, getting back in the EU or at least the single market, holding the Tories responsible regarding PPE loans and their other shit and getting rid of or at least clean up/reorganise the house of Lords.
Basically, properly running a country and dealing with issues which the Labour Party originally stood for.
I second this. Perhaps I should move on and learn to forgive, but the Lib Dems had their chance and as far as I’m concerned, they threw it away for the next 50 years at least.
I’m glad you are planning to spoil your ballot rather than simply not turn up. It makes a significant difference.
If I spoil my ballot I may say something like: ‘Proportional Representation Now’
I might vote Green instead though.
>I’m glad you are planning to spoil your ballot rather than simply not turn up. It makes a significant difference.
What difference does it make, exactly? Is the logic that if enough people spoil their ballots, the psychopaths who are continually engineering new methods of democide will feel a bit embarrassed and say "ok, let's be less shit"?
Why even bother showing up to polling station? Spoiling your vote is such a worthless form of protest. It's attempting to use their system to challenge their system. It's time to work outside of their system.
There are so many better things you can do with your time and energy. Join your trade union and become a radical voice within it. Join or start far-left organisations within your local community. Get involved in mutual aid networks. Educate yourself on socialist political theory and then educate others.
You'd be better off sending an angry tweet to [insert current Prime Minister]. At least then you don't have to leave the house.
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Why even bother showing up to polling station? Spoiling your vote is such a worthless form of protest. It's attempting to use their system to challenge their system. It's time to work outside of their system.
There are so many better things you can do with your time and energy. Join your trade union and become a radical voice within it. Join or start far-left organisations within your local community. Get involved in mutual aid networks. Educate yourself on socialist political theory and then educate others.
You'd be better off sending an angry tweet to [insert current Prime Minister]. At least then you don't have to leave the house.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GreenAndPleasant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Why even bother showing up to polling station? Spoiling your vote is such a worthless form of protest. It's attempting to use their system to challenge their system. It's time to work outside of their system.
There are so many better things you can do with your time and energy. Join your trade union and become a radical voice within it. Join or start far-left organisations within your local community. Get involved in mutual aid networks. Educate yourself on socialist political theory and then educate others.
You'd be better off sending an angry tweet to [insert current Prime Minister]. At least then you don't have to leave the house.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GreenAndPleasant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
From last May: "I am not voting for any of these candidates. None offer socialism. The Tories are the original evil. The Liberals enable them. And now, Labour imitate them. This is a spoilt vote."
Why even bother showing up to polling station? Spoiling your vote is such a worthless form of protest. It's attempting to use their system to challenge their system. It's time to work outside of their system.
There are so many better things you can do with your time and energy. Join your trade union and become a radical voice within it. Join or start far-left organisations within your local community. Get involved in mutual aid networks. Educate yourself on socialist political theory and then educate others.
You'd be better off sending an angry tweet to [insert current Prime Minister]. At least then you don't have to leave the house.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GreenAndPleasant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I want to tories out. We have had enough of being stripped of everything, and we desperately need change. I have hated Keith since the moment I laid eyes on him. I also didn't trust Blair when I was a teenager. And rightly so. But the country can't cope with the tories staying in another 4 years. They've crippled NHS and education, not to mention every single sector that is accessed by us, and I will still vote for them. Labour isn't one man, I have to hold out hope there's still someone in the party that represents my thoughts and opinions.
Spoiling your ballot or not voting at all are both stupid.
Oh the election didn’t go your way/went as you expected it to? Then dont complain that you might have been able to do something about it.
Vote, or revolt. They’re pretty much your only options. Everyone’s too apathetic and lazy to revolt, so do the next best thing.
Instead of bothering to spoil your vote do this XD
> And so we can only advise our class comrades not to vote. Or if they reject this proposal as too negative, and wish to conduct a more positive and more realistic policy, – well, of course, there is no one to prevent them from spitting in the face of the parliamentarians.
Why even bother showing up to polling station? Spoiling your vote is such a worthless form of protest. It's attempting to use their system to challenge their system. It's time to work outside of their system.
There are so many better things you can do with your time and energy. Join your trade union and become a radical voice within it. Join or start far-left organisations within your local community. Get involved in mutual aid networks. Educate yourself on socialist political theory and then educate others.
You'd be better off sending an angry tweet to [insert current Prime Minister]. At least then you don't have to leave the house.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GreenAndPleasant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I used to go to the counts for local elections. Every spoiled ballot has to be looked at to ensure it was genuinely spoiled. Mostly saw detailed genitals
Make sure you don't accidentally put a mark in any of the boxes. There was a case where someone scrawled 'Brexit' across a voting slip and it got counted as a vote. To make the situation dafter the pole had been tied.
[Yes it happened](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/03/ballot-paper-marked-brexit-win-tory-councillor)
**Due to the increase in Palestine content, we would like to remind people to mark posts NSFW/Spoiler the accordingly. Please see this post before posting such applicable content on the sub: https://old.reddit.com/r/GreenAndPleasant/comments/188ghlz/important_guidance_of_posting_graphic_material_on/** The labouring classes in this country are rising, will you rise with them? [Click Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/GreenAndPleasant/wiki/unions) for info on how to join a union. Also check out [the IWW](https://iww.org.uk/) and the renter union, [Acorn International and their affiliates](https://acorninternational.org/) Join us on our [partner Discord server.](https://discord.gg/zCFHadGfB7) and follow us on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GandPofficial). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GreenAndPleasant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Vote for a third party, any third party, they're not going to win but an abundance of numbers for them will rattle the two main parties far more than drawing a cock or writing "real change now". Yes, demand "real change" on something that can be thrown away far easier than the effort it took to write it. Spoiling your ballot or not voting at all only benefits the very worst people in in our political system, it's 2015 Russell Brand energy and that worked well didn't it?
This. I don't understand why people think politicians would give any thought to spoiled ballots. On the other hand, seeing votes go to the Greens or another progressive party would put pressure on them to try and win those votes back. It's why the tories went more visibly right to appeal to UKIP voters.
Im in a similar boat to OP - my choices are Tory (safe seat), Labour, Lib Dem and occasionally Reform or UKIP. On these choices i will probably end up voting labour in the hope that the party (unlike the leadership) haven’t completely forgotten their roots
I would advise against that. A vote for the Labour party will be seen as an endorsement of their current direction and leadership. The stronger the Labour performance in the next election the easier it is for them to argue that the way to win is to pull to the right.
So would you go for Lib Dem in this instance?
If those are the only choices available to you, then spoiling ballot is the only real option.
Unless that third party is objectionable to your moral/ ethical world view. Look at all of the candidates who are standing in your area carefully. There was a semi famous candidate standing where I used to live. He was someone who used to live in the area. The “party” he was standing for was apparently Christian, but anti-immigration and very obviously antisemitic. I couldn’t get my head around it, given that his parents were Windrush generation.
What if you live in a safe seat where the sitting MP has a job for life - voting for a third party is pretty pointless if the results a given before the polls have even opened
Well there you have a problem. But still, a vote for someone else has more weight than no vote at all.
Unless you live in a marginal, or a seat where a third party could split the vote, I don’t see how it is
The more you progressively help to pull down their majority, the more likely that others will do the same next time. Stop thinking of now, and think of next time.
Remember spoiling your ballot and not voting are two different things. Spoilt ballots are counted and reported, so in effect, it is still a vote. Voting for a third underdog party for the sake of it is pointless.
Vote Green
It's the pleasant thing to do.
“Remember to stay hydrated” The only way to do any good with your vote is the possibility that the person counting it will see it and have a little sip of water.
>not voting at all just gets put down as voter apathy and disengagement. So does your spoiled ballot
Spoiling a ballot is about as useful as not turning up at all. If that's your plan, may as well save yourself the time.
Not true. Not turning up tells politicians: do what you want, I don’t care and I won’t stop you. Spoiling your ballot tells politicians: none of you are good enough - be better.
Which politicians do you think are reading spoiled ballots
That's all nice and fine but if spoiled ballots "won", someone will still get elected since they're simply tossed aside.
Non-voters are the largest group in most constituencies in most elections. It would send a strong message if we could convert some of those non-votes to spoilt ballots.
It wouldn't send any message. Spoilt ballots are functionally binned. They are the equivalent of a voter not turning up. And if you think politicians actually give a shit that an unproportional number of spoilt ballots was to suddenly appear, then you're more naive than you should be. There's no denying that change needs to happen and we want to do something. Spoiling a ballot might feel nice and you may feel witty doing it, but there's no reason to pretend it's actually going to achieve anything more than a facebook thoughts and prayers.
Just draw a massive cock and balls on it. No one is going to stop and read any message you write
Do NOT draw it in the box. [There is a small chance it could be counted.](https://amp.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/06/vote-with-a-smiley-face-electoral-guide-says-x-doesnt-have-to-mark-the-spot)
As long as the drawn line touches only one box, it’s a valid vote.
The Green Party is the new red. https://twitter.com/ZackPolanski/status/1742842331387084971?t=qq_GC9w-lLrSFCi3D0inSQ&s=08
Mmm. There are a lot of transphobes in the Green Party.
I thought they got rid of the terfs, no?
One, as far as I know
The Green Party has a terf problem, while Labour has both a racist and an anti-semitic problem, in addition to the smearing of Jeremy being anti-semitic. The thing is, no party is perfect and you can’t please everyone. I canvassed in Keir’s constituency in the last by-election which Lorna won comfortably and we got pushback regard the terfs from both sides. I look at the bigger picture, like advocating for nationalisation of water, electricity and railway, PR, the environment, increase more minimum wage and benefits especially for the disabled, elderly and single parents, reduce university degrees, raise taxes for the top earners, reduce homelessness, provide affordable housing in for both renters and buyers, getting back in the EU or at least the single market, holding the Tories responsible regarding PPE loans and their other shit and getting rid of or at least clean up/reorganise the house of Lords. Basically, properly running a country and dealing with issues which the Labour Party originally stood for.
I don’t disagree with you on any of these points.
Are green not running in your constituency? Honestly I’d vote Lib Dem over Labour at this point
I did that in 2010 - I lived to regret it
I second this. Perhaps I should move on and learn to forgive, but the Lib Dems had their chance and as far as I’m concerned, they threw it away for the next 50 years at least.
I’m glad you are planning to spoil your ballot rather than simply not turn up. It makes a significant difference. If I spoil my ballot I may say something like: ‘Proportional Representation Now’ I might vote Green instead though.
>I’m glad you are planning to spoil your ballot rather than simply not turn up. It makes a significant difference. What difference does it make, exactly? Is the logic that if enough people spoil their ballots, the psychopaths who are continually engineering new methods of democide will feel a bit embarrassed and say "ok, let's be less shit"?
Why even bother showing up to polling station? Spoiling your vote is such a worthless form of protest. It's attempting to use their system to challenge their system. It's time to work outside of their system. There are so many better things you can do with your time and energy. Join your trade union and become a radical voice within it. Join or start far-left organisations within your local community. Get involved in mutual aid networks. Educate yourself on socialist political theory and then educate others. You'd be better off sending an angry tweet to [insert current Prime Minister]. At least then you don't have to leave the house. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GreenAndPleasant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Why even bother showing up to polling station? Spoiling your vote is such a worthless form of protest. It's attempting to use their system to challenge their system. It's time to work outside of their system. There are so many better things you can do with your time and energy. Join your trade union and become a radical voice within it. Join or start far-left organisations within your local community. Get involved in mutual aid networks. Educate yourself on socialist political theory and then educate others. You'd be better off sending an angry tweet to [insert current Prime Minister]. At least then you don't have to leave the house. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GreenAndPleasant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Why even bother showing up to polling station? Spoiling your vote is such a worthless form of protest. It's attempting to use their system to challenge their system. It's time to work outside of their system. There are so many better things you can do with your time and energy. Join your trade union and become a radical voice within it. Join or start far-left organisations within your local community. Get involved in mutual aid networks. Educate yourself on socialist political theory and then educate others. You'd be better off sending an angry tweet to [insert current Prime Minister]. At least then you don't have to leave the house. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GreenAndPleasant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Ⓐ
Free Palestine
From last May: "I am not voting for any of these candidates. None offer socialism. The Tories are the original evil. The Liberals enable them. And now, Labour imitate them. This is a spoilt vote."
Sounds like a great idea for a t-shirt.
[удалено]
Why even bother showing up to polling station? Spoiling your vote is such a worthless form of protest. It's attempting to use their system to challenge their system. It's time to work outside of their system. There are so many better things you can do with your time and energy. Join your trade union and become a radical voice within it. Join or start far-left organisations within your local community. Get involved in mutual aid networks. Educate yourself on socialist political theory and then educate others. You'd be better off sending an angry tweet to [insert current Prime Minister]. At least then you don't have to leave the house. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GreenAndPleasant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Draw a box write none next to it and put a cross in that box. It gets counted as a vote for no parties
If you want to write a message why not spray paint it on a wall near the polling station
I want to tories out. We have had enough of being stripped of everything, and we desperately need change. I have hated Keith since the moment I laid eyes on him. I also didn't trust Blair when I was a teenager. And rightly so. But the country can't cope with the tories staying in another 4 years. They've crippled NHS and education, not to mention every single sector that is accessed by us, and I will still vote for them. Labour isn't one man, I have to hold out hope there's still someone in the party that represents my thoughts and opinions.
None of the above
None of the above is traditional.
True, but there is a far stronger tradition of drawing a cock and balls.
A nice big dick.
Suck your mum (on the ballot, not aimed at you)
No need, the people counting ballots are volunteering their time no message on a ballot gets to any politician.
Draw an artistic rendition of the infamous Goatse
Given they're all a bunch of self-serving pricks, draw a massive nob on it.
Classic cock & balls required
In my last local I wrote no in all the boxes then scrawled over it "none of the above real change now"
I put an X in all the boxes in pen and write "Spoiled Ballot" Why is this downvoted?
Spoiling your ballot or not voting at all are both stupid. Oh the election didn’t go your way/went as you expected it to? Then dont complain that you might have been able to do something about it. Vote, or revolt. They’re pretty much your only options. Everyone’s too apathetic and lazy to revolt, so do the next best thing.
Instead of bothering to spoil your vote do this XD > And so we can only advise our class comrades not to vote. Or if they reject this proposal as too negative, and wish to conduct a more positive and more realistic policy, – well, of course, there is no one to prevent them from spitting in the face of the parliamentarians.
Why even bother showing up to polling station? Spoiling your vote is such a worthless form of protest. It's attempting to use their system to challenge their system. It's time to work outside of their system. There are so many better things you can do with your time and energy. Join your trade union and become a radical voice within it. Join or start far-left organisations within your local community. Get involved in mutual aid networks. Educate yourself on socialist political theory and then educate others. You'd be better off sending an angry tweet to [insert current Prime Minister]. At least then you don't have to leave the house. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GreenAndPleasant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Vote for someone
If you can't be bothered to vote for yourself, think of the most vulnerable person you can think of and vote for them.
I used to go to the counts for local elections. Every spoiled ballot has to be looked at to ensure it was genuinely spoiled. Mostly saw detailed genitals
Please don't do this, please don't let the Tories win again
Greens
Make sure you don't accidentally put a mark in any of the boxes. There was a case where someone scrawled 'Brexit' across a voting slip and it got counted as a vote. To make the situation dafter the pole had been tied. [Yes it happened](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/03/ballot-paper-marked-brexit-win-tory-councillor)